


The Pumpkin Owner's Manual:  A Guide to Good Carving

by greerwatson



Series: ITOWverse: Jack o' Lantern [1]
Category: RENAULT Mary - Works
Genre: Gen, Halloween, ITOWverse, Metafiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-29
Updated: 2011-10-29
Packaged: 2018-05-31 18:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6483112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greerwatson/pseuds/greerwatson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This story was originally posted to the <a>maryrenaultfics</a> LiveJournal community to comment on their annual Halloween fanfic challenge (referred to here as "the Spooky").</p></blockquote>





	The Pumpkin Owner's Manual:  A Guide to Good Carving

It being Monday, Alec found _The Renault Times_ waiting with the post on the table in the front hall.  Sandy was queuing; and Alec saw no reason to wait in the chilly night with him.  So, while the kettle boiled and he waited for dinner to arrive, he sat down and opened the paper with interest.  Neither of the medical students often crossed dimensions to the clubhouse.  One could easily wile away a lazy afternoon in the summer sun; but one still had to return to a full shift, making it a very long time before sleep.  That did not mean, though, that either man lacked curiosity about the clubhouse and its community. 

By the time Sandy returned with the pair of pasties, Alec had nearly finished a cup of tea (perforce milkless since they’d run out). 

“Hallowe’en,” Alec began, almost before the door was shut. 

“You don’t have Hallowe’en down here,” Sandy said.  He headed for the small kitchen to put the kettle back on.

“That’s why I’m asking.”

“Ghoulies and ghaesties and things that go bump in the night,” said Sandy.  He looked in the pot and decided it needed more tea.  “All evil’s about on Hallowe’en; and you go around with carved neeps to scare them off, and do your turns at the door, and people give you an apple, or tablet, or a bit of bannock.  At least, that’s if you’re a child.  I remember....” He smiled, with that fond reminiscence of innocent days when, surrounded by a gang of friends, his only real fear was botching his wee Hielan’ dance.  “Why are you asking?” he added, heading back into the room with the open caddy in one hand and the pot in the other.  “I’m damned sure I told you all this last year.”

Alec tapped the paper.  “It’s this article in the _Renault Times_ ,” he said, “updating us on the community and what they’re doing.”

“Their Spooky Story, you mean?” asked Sandy.  “It’s that time of year.”

“No, it’s....” Alec looked down at the article.  “Well, they _are_ doing the Spooky again, but....”  He got up, paper in hand, and headed over.  “Here, I don’t think I can do it justice.  You’ll have to look for yourself.”

“Hang on a minute.”  Sandy went back into the kitchen, spooned tea into the pot and filled it from the kettle.  Leaving it to steep, he took the paper from Alec.

“I think they’re hoping to encourage participation.”

With a quizzical look, Sandy gave his attention to the article.  As he read, he looked increasingly amused.

“Pumpkins!”

“Half the books are set in Ancient Greece and the other half in southern England,” Alec put in.

“I’m pretty sure I know what they look like.  Big orange things.”   _A bit like a giant vegetable marrow._  He read this aloud, with relish.  “Oh, _that_ will help!  The whole marrow family come from the Americas.  None of the Greeks will know anything about them.”

“Oh, do they?” said Alec. 

“It explains it, though, doesn’t it?” said Sandy.  “No doubt the moderators are thinking of the poor old Secretary again, and [that homesickness of hers](http://archiveofourown.org/series/426301).”

That hadn’t occurred to Alec.

“It says they’ll print the pictures in the next edition,” Sandy commented.  After a moment, he added, “As I understand it, a pumpkin is a lot bigger than the usual sort of marrow.  They’ll do a fancier job of carving than I ever did on a turnip.”

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally posted to the maryrenaultfics LiveJournal community to comment on their annual Halloween fanfic challenge (referred to here as "the Spooky").


End file.
